The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to detectors for use in imaging systems, such as X-ray, nuclear medicine imaging systems, combinations thereof, or the like.
Conventional imagining technologies generally include one or more detectors configured to convert incident radiation to useful electrical signals that can be used in image formation. Such detectors may employ solid state photomultipliers (SSPM) (e.g., silicon photomultipliers (SiPM)), which may be useful for detecting optical signals generated in a scintillator in response to the incident radiation. Typical mechanisms utilized to read out analog SSPM pixels may include either AC or DC coupling of the SSPM signal to external electronics. However, due to stray or parasitic capacitance along the signal path, the signal may be degraded, thereby causing the detector to suffer from crosstalk, signal integrity degradation and additional noise.
The inventors have observed that integrating the readout electronics with the SSPM on the same die may be one mechanism to reduce such crosstalk or signal noise, and preserve signal integrity. However, readout electronics fabricated via conventional mechanisms (e.g., CMOS processes) typically operate at a significantly lower voltage as compared to the high voltage components (e.g., avalanche photodiodes (APDs)) of the SSPM, which requires additional components (e.g., resistors) to rectify the incompatibility, thereby making the SSPM unnecessarily complex and limiting performance. Alternatively, high voltage CMOS electronics may be utilized in place of the typical low voltage readout electronics. However, such high voltage components are noisier, slower and require a higher power as compared to the low voltage readout electronics.
Thus, the inventers have provided an improved solid state photomultiplier.